FIGS. 1(a) and 1(b) are diagrams showing a perspective view of a commonly used folding cellular phone as an example of a conventional electronic apparatus with LCD. The cellular phone is folded (open) in FIG. 1(a), and folded (closed) in FIG. 1(b).
As can be seen in FIGS. 1(a) and 1(b), the conventional folding cellular phone comprises a display unit housing 121 and an operation unit housing 122 being connected together by a hinge 123 so as to be foldable. The display unit housing 121 can be turned in the directions indicated by arrow A on the axis of the hinge 123, and also the operation unit housing 122 can be turned in the directions indicated by arrow A. The display unit housing 121 and the operation unit housing 122 are given a platy shape. When the cellular phone is folded, the surfaces of both the housings come in contact with each other.
The display unit housing 121 is fitted with an LCD 101 on the surface, while the operation unit housing 122 has a plurality of input keys (operation buttons) 103 on the surface and side. On the surface of the display unit housing 121, there is also provided a receiver 124 that converts electric oscillation into sound oscillation at the end opposite to where the hinge 123 is fitted. Besides, at the opposite end of the operation unit housing 122's surface from the hinge 123, there is provided a microphone 125.
Such the folding cellular phone is folded as shown in FIG. 1(b) so that it can be stored in a small space when being carried or not in use. During a call on the cellular phone, it is unfolded as shown in FIG. 1(a) and wide opened so as to keep the receiver 124 as far away from the microphone 125 as possible. When unfolded, the cellular phone displays such information as the charge indication of its rechargeable battery, current time and reception condition on the LCD 101 even in a stand-by mode.
In the configuration of the conventional folding cellular phone, however, the LCD 101 is concealed between the display unit housing 121 and the operation unit housing 122, and completely blocked from view when the phone is closed. Therefore, users cannot check the information unless unfolding the cellular phone to bring the LCD 101 into view. Thus, it has been required for users to unfold and fold the cellular phone each time they check the information.
Although it has been proposed to provide another LCD on the backside of the display unit housing 121, the opposite side of the housing 121 to the LCD 101, there arises disadvantages of increasing the number of components, costs, manufacturing processes, and weight of the cellular phone.
Besides, the cellular phone has a limited size to be made smaller and lighter, and there is a limit to the available space for fitting input keys etc. on the surface of the cellular phone. In recent years, the cellular phone is generally provided with an e-mail function and such functions as to view Web sites on the Internet as well as serving as a telephone, and requires keys or buttons for inputting characters and symbols in addition to keys for inputting numbers. However, it is impossible to make room for the dedicated character input keys in an effort to reduce the size and weight of the cellular phone. Accordingly, in the conventional cellular phone, the number input keys have also functioned as character input keys, or an externally connectable keyboard for character input has been used with the cellular phone, which has caused users inconvenience because it is not easy to input characters, or users have to carry around with the character input keyboard in addition to the cellular phone.